One of the best things about being a farmer has been having our very own stash of quality, organic, grass fed beef available at all times, but I must say, the easiest and most versatile to use is our ground beef. But, what's special about our ground beef?

It is PremiumYou might think all grass-fed ground beef is equal, but in addition to being certified organic, ours is dry aged for at least a week and itcomes from the whole cow. So all those delicious cuts of the rib and sirloin are ground up with the rest, giving our ground beef exceptional taste and even more health benefits including vitamins, minerals, and nutrients found in the WHOLE animal, and not just the scraps in typical ground beef.

It is LocalYes, you might find grass fed ground beef these days in your nearest big box store, but keep in mind that while it might say it comes from the US, it probably doesn't. How? Read more on this blog post we wrote about the reversal of the "Country of Origin Labeling Law". Most likely your beef comes from far away places like Australia, New Zealand or South America, traveling halfway around the world to get to you. Ours will only travel from our Wisconsin family farm to your table.

It's VersatileIn addition to being one of the most affordable beef products, the best part of ground beef is its versatility. I admit, before becoming a farmer, we rarely bought ground beef. For burgers occasionally or a specific recipe, but I just didn't think of it in my family meal rotations. However, having them handy in the freezer has been salvation for a quick family meal! Easy to defrost and with endless possibilities to use, it makes dinner planning and prepping super easy!

Here are 30 ways to USE GROUND BEEF(some with links to recipes!) to give you many ideas on how to use your Starry Nights Farm grass fed, ground beef:

Grass-fed beef is much lower in fat than its corn fed counterpart. This may mean that your beef can dry up faster or become overcooked much quicker than corn fed. Without the added fat from corn, grass-fed beef tastes like... well, beef! but you want to know how to cook it properly.

The name of the game is to keep the meat moist, an easy task when you consider the following tips:

Thaw your beef in the refrigerator.

Never use a microwave to thaw your grass-fed beef.

Bring meat to room temperature before cooking, do not cook cold straight from a refrigerator.

Lower the heat. Grass-fed beef cooks quicker than its grain-fed cousin, so lower the heat on the stove or grill (or about 50F in the oven, if you're roasting) to better control the doneness. Otherwise, it can go from perfectly cooked to overdone in a matter of seconds.

Preheat. Be sure your cooking surface - whether it's a pan or grill - is preheated well before you start cooking. That way, you'll accomplish a tasty, even sear without overcooking the meat.

A little oil goes a long way. Because there isn't much fat in grass-fed beef, be sure to grease your pan or grill with a bit of oil (or even butter!) before cooking to ensure that nothing sticks.

No poking! Save your knife and fork for eating, not cooking. For the juiciest results, resist the urge to poke or turn meat with a knife or fork. Each time you do, more of its moisture will end up in the pan, not on your plate.

Think 70%. Due to high protein and low fat levels, grass-fed beef usually requires 30% less cooking time and will continue to cook when removed from heat.

Forget well done. Grass-fed beef can get dry, tough and toothsome when overcooked, so it's best to stick with medium-rare or medium steaks. Our advice? Remove beef from the heat around 140 F - or a little more or less, depending on your taste - and tent it loosely with foil to let it rest. While it sits, the temperature will rise another 5 to 10 degrees. (The pros call that "carryover cooking.") To check the temperature, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the steak, away from any bones.

Sub the fat. Replace the missing fat in grass-fed beef with something juicy and flavorful. When you use ground beef - say, for making hamburgers or meatloaf - you may combine it with an ingredient that will keep things moist. Chopped onions, shredded vegetables like carrots or zucchini, sundried tomatoes, olives, mustards or grated cheese all work wonders. When it comes to steaks, consider marinating them for 4 to 6 hours before cooking to add a boost of flavor and moisture, too.

While this last one can be helpful, is also important to try your grass-fed beef "as is". You may discover a newfound love for what beef should actually taste like!

The secret to chili is how you select and use your chili peppers. If dried ancho and chipotle peppers are not available in your local market, just substitute, bearing these points in mind: dried chiles have a richer, fruitier flavor than fresh; smaller chiles are hotter than larger ones; the seeds and white veins generally contain all the heat but no chili flavor; and finally, if you like great chili flavor but are less enamored with the spice, add one whole chili pepper to the pot, but remove it before serving. The recipe below is for a medium-hot chili.

Cover beans with warm water, stir in lemon juice, cover, and soak in a warm place for 18 to 24 hours. Drain, rinse, and place in a slow cooker.

In a skillet over medium-low heat, brown the ground beef in olive oil. Combine the meat and remaining chili ingredients in the slow cooker, and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the beans are tender. Depending on how your cooker works, you may need to add an extra ½ cup of water during the cooking time to prevent the chili from drying out. Remove the whole chipotle pepper.

Serve the chili topped with shredded cheese and a generous dollop of sour cream.

Mix all the ingredients, except olive oil, in a large bowl. Shape into 11/4-inch balls. Sauté meatballs in the olive oil over medium heat, turning occasionally for about 15 to 20 minutes until brown. Pour off fat, remove the meatballs from the skillet, and set aside.

Pineapple sauce:

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1-tablespoon cornstarch

1-13 oz. can of chuck pineapple, in natural unsweetened juice

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1-tablespoon soy sauce

1 small green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

Mix together the brown sugar and cornstarch and add to the skillet used for meatballs. Pour in the pineapple and juice; add vinegar, soy sauce and chopped pepper. Over a medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, immediately add the meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes.

Author

Marisa usually writes about nutrition, grass fed beef, organic agriculture, as well as sharing delicious recipes; Paul writes about farm work- sharing his stories and experiences, and sometimes... we both collaborate on a story!